Mohammed Zubair’s post was ‘highly provocative’ and deliberately done to incite hatred: Delhi Police

New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Tuesday sought a five-day further remand of Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair, who has been arrested in connection with an "objectionable" tweet hurting religious sentiments. The cops also claimed that Zubair was not cooperating with authorities in the investigation against him in connection with an "objectionable" tweet and had formatted his phone intentionally.

Delhi Police seeks a 5-day further remand of Mohammed Zubair. Police say, other FIRs also registered against him in different matters. — ANI (@ANI) June 28, 2022

It may be noted that Zubair was arrested on Monday for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of a particular community in a Twitter post he had written in 2018. Zubair`s objectionable tweet had led to a Twitter storm with hate speeches, detrimental to communal harmony. 

“Two things including technical gadget and intention was important. He was evasive on both, the phone was formatted. This formed grounds for his arrest," KPS Malhotra, DCP IFSO said, according to ANI.

Malhotra said that Delhi Police will seek more remand time to question him. Refuting reports that Zubair`s arrest was "politically motivated, he said, "If someone is booked in several cases it`s our right to question him in all. Judiciary is involved, custody is given, bail not granted, there must be some substance to the case. Calling it politically motivated doesn`t stand right. We`ll ask for more remand."

If someone is booked in several cases it's our right to question him in all. Judiciary is involved, custody given, bail not granted, there must be some substance to case. Calling it politically motivated doesn't stand right. We'll ask for more remand: KPS Malhotra, DCP IFSO pic.twitter.com/Y0XFtSzToC — ANI (@ANI) June 28, 2022

KPS Malhotra is posted as DCP IFSO (Intelligence Fusion & Strategic Operations) unit of the Delhi Police. 

Zubair was arrested and sent to one-day police custody after a First Information Report (FIR) was registered against him based on a Twitter posting, which another Twitter handle alleged "hurt Hindu sentiments."

Delhi Police said that Zubair was evasive during questioning and did not cooperate in the investigation. "He was evasive on the questions and neither provided the necessary technical equipment for the purpose of the investigation nor cooperated in the investigation," said senior Delhi Police officials.

The officials also mentioned that the conduct of Zubair was found questionable, which warranted his custodial interrogation to unravel conspiracy in this matter. The contentious tweet by Zubair was posted in March 2018. "The said post of Zubair containing pictures and words against a particular religious community are highly provocative and done deliberately which are more than sufficient to incite hatred among people which can be detrimental for the maintenance of public tranquillity," the Delhi Police said in a statement.

DCP Malhotra said, "If you endorse a view on social media, it becomes your view. Retweeting and saying I don`t know, doesn`t stand here. The Responsibility is yours. Time does not matter, you only have to re-tweet and it becomes new. The police action was taken on basis of when the matter came to our cognizance." 

The FIR against Zubair was lodged on June 20 based on the complaint filed by the Duty Officer of the IFSO unit of the Delhi Police Special Cell which tackles cyber crimes.

Zubair was booked under Sections 153A (promotion of enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language) and 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Delhi Police said.

Pratik Sinha, another co-founder at Alt News, commented on his colleague`s arrest and wrote on Twitter on Monday, "Zubair was called today by special cell, Delhi for investigation in a 2020 case for which he already had a protection against arrest from High Court."

“However, today at around 6.45 pm we were told he has been arrested in some other FIR for which no notice was given which is mandatory under law for the Sections under which he has been arrested. Nor FIR copy is being given to us despite repeated requests," Sinha said in a statement on the microblogging site yesterday. 

(With ANI Inputs)